ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry on Tuesday said it will organize a week-long Qur’an recitation event known as “Mehfil-e-Shabeena” from the 21st to the 27th night of Ramadan at Islamabad’s iconic Faisal Mosque.

Mehfil-e-Shabeena is a devotional gathering held during Ramadan in which large portions of the Qur’an are recited at night in congregation. In Pakistan, such events are often organized during the final days of the holy month, with reciters completing the entire Qur’an over several nights of extended prayers.

“The seven-day Mehfil-e-Shabeena will formally begin today at Faisal Mosque,” the ministry said in a statement. “Each day, four to five sections of the Qur’an will be recited.”

The statement added that a special prayer will be offered on the 27th night after the completion of the recitation of the Holy Qur’an.

The event will be broadcast live on state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) and Radio Pakistan.

Renowned Qur’an reciters, known as qaris, have gathered in the capital to participate in the event.

Muslims around the world visit mosques more frequently during the last ten nights of Ramadan, considered the most blessed period of the holy month, when believers spend late hours offering voluntary prayers and reciting the Qur’an.

Muslims believe that one of these odd-numbered nights is the “Night of Power,” when the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The Faisal Mosque is a landmark of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. Spread over more than 54,000 square feet, it can accommodate over 250,000 worshippers at a time.

It is the largest mosque in Pakistan and among the largest mosques in the world.

Unlike traditional Islamic structures featuring domes, it was built along clean modern lines resembling the tents used by nomadic Arab tribes, with sloping roofs and a distinctive angular design.